1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of energy targeting systems, program product, and related methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
The simultaneous optimization of design and operation in process and utilities facilities is a very challenging task, due to, for example, varying supply and demand. It is often necessary to tailor process needs to fit with a desired cogeneration target and vice versa. It is also often necessary to calculate the potential co-generation and allocation for, e.g., steam and electricity, prior to the detailed design of both the process and utility facilities.
State-of-the-art methods and arguably the most well-known commercial software for combined steam and power targeting and simulation include the “Total-Site-Analysis” graphical targeting method, which is utilized in AspenTech, UMIST, KBC, and other commercial process simulation packages, and combined heat and power system simulation packages such as, for example, SUPERTARGET and “Pro-steam” of KBC, and “Star” of UMIST. The following papers present examples of various attempts at cogeneration targeting: Linnhoff, B. and Dhole, V. “Total Site Targets for Fuel, Cogeneration, Emissions and Cooling” (1993); Kokossis, A. and Mavromatis, S. “Conceptual Optimization of Utility Networks for Operational Variations-I. Targets and Level Optimization” (1997); and Mohan, T and El-Halwagi, M., “An Algebraic Targeting Approach for Effective Utilization of Biomass in Combined Heat and Power Systems through Process Integration” (2006), each incorporated by reference in its entirety.
It is Applicants understanding that the Total-Site-Analysis “graphical method,” however, only defines approximate power generation targets; is not rigorous; and does not provide a complete global targeting method for combined heat and power systems under each substantially significant possible combination of process changes. Particularly, the method does not provide global targets, and does not include each major steam supply and/or demand sources. Additionally, it is iterative, requiring manual enumeration through the establishment of new graphs every time the process conditions change. It also does not allow targeting for different process needs due to several possibilities of steam-electricity generation and load allocation, for example, in process drivers.
The recently introduced “algebraic method,” although arguably an improvement over the “graphical method,” also lacks rigor, lacks the capability of handling varying process conditions, and can only address single objectives. In addition, the algebraic method also requires iterations to handle variable process conditions in order to calculate a single objective target.
The combined heat and the power simulation software packages mentioned above simulate the steam and power system, but do not have a systematic targeting capability for different steam and power system objectives. In such software environments, to target for different steam and power systems objectives, multiple iterations are needed through simulation runs to calculate targets independently. In other words, conventional software packages can not handle multiple targets, simultaneously. Also, conventional software can only handle varying conditions, one at a time, and require manual enumeration to calculate for each possible substantially significant combination of variation in supply and demand at different levels. In summary, the conventional methods and software provide more of an analysis tool than a targeting tool.
Recognized by the Applicants is the need for a system, program product, and methods that provide rigorous automated calculations of cogeneration and allocation, for example, of both steam and electricity, to enable process and utility designers and operators to orchestrate in-situ steam and electricity generation and allocation in industrial facilities under varying process conditions. Also recognized is the need for a system, program product, and methods: that have a systematic targeting capability for different combined-steam and power system objectives; that do not require manual iterations through simulation runs to calculate targets for steam and power system; that can also handle multiple targets at one time to thereby solve some of the problems associated with prior system's handling of varying conditions one at a time; and that do not require manual enumeration to determine a target for each possible combination of variations in supply and demand, at different levels.
Also recognized is the need for a system, program product, and methods: that provide global targets; that can accurately define lower and upper bounds of power generation targets; that include each major steam supply and/or demand sources; that allow targeting for different process needs due to several possibilities of steam-electricity load allocation in process drivers, e.g., for combined heat and power systems, under each possible combination of process changes; and that allow calculating multiple targets of duel commodities due to each possible combinations of process structural and parametric conditions, different electricity and steam load allocation, and/or process operations disturbances and uncertainty, systematically and without manual enumeration—i.e., do not need manual enumeration, such as through the establishment of new case, every time process conditions change.